Man Who Ran a Church Bank Is Sentenced for Stealing Over $1 Million

A former finance manager at a New Jersey Catholic parish has been found guilty of taking more than one million dollars from the church. He worked at St. Leo the Great in Lincroft, handling money and operations until he left last June. After his departure, the church staff noticed strange charges in the accounts. Investigators traced those expenses back to him and charged him with theft and tax fraud in October 2025. The first audit by law enforcement uncovered about $674, 000 missing from the church coffers. A deeper look revealed that he had siphoned off over $1 million and also hid income from taxes.He used the stolen money for a luxury SUV, designer clothes, home repairs, tickets to New York Yankees games, fishing trips and other personal items. In a plea agreement, he admitted to the theft and agreed to pay $1. 2 million back to the church. He will also owe roughly $73, 000 to the state treasury. The state prosecutor recommends a five‑year prison term for him. A church spokesperson was not available to comment at the time of the announcement. The judge will set a sentencing date soon, following the recommendation from the Attorney General’s office.